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Evelyn settled back in her seat, her heart pounding as she prepared to reveal the final pieces of the puzzle to her parents. Eric and Claire, still reeling from the weight of the previous revelations, looked at her with a mixture of concern and anticipation.

“Mom, Dad,” Evelyn began, her voice trembling slightly, “there’s more you need to know. Michael and Sandra. they’re not just close. They’re working together, and it’s more than just their affair. They planted a bug in Derek’s office.” Her words hung in the air, thick with the gravity of the

accusation

Eric frowned deeply; his confusion was evident. “A bug? You mean… they were spying on Derek?” Eric asked, glancing at Derek, who was still silent

After seeing that Evelyn was capable of handling herself, Derek had relegated himself to the background since it was a family discussion, and his only reason for being there was to give Evelyn moral support and defend her.

Derek nodded. “Yes they were listening to our conversations.”

“They were trying to gather information to sabotage me. And it worked. They were the ones who leaked the news about Derek, which was all over the place last weekend. That was private information that Derek confided in me. It caused problems between Derek and me. And it almost led to me losing my job.”

Claire gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as her eyes filled with tears. “They did what? But why? What could Sandra possibly gain from doing something so cruel? Why is she still after your

Evelyn hesitated, her gaze shifting between her parents. “Now that I think about it, I think they did that because they wanted me out of Derek’s life and also so that the interview would not hold. I believe Sandra is trying to manipulate her way into Derek’s life, the same way Michael did with me. She wants to marry Derek for his wealth, and Michael is in it with her.”

Claire’s face paled, her shoulders slumping as the realization of her daughter’s greed settled in. “Sandra… my Sandra… would do something like this?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, thick with sorrow.

Evelyn’s heart ached at the sight of her stepmother’s pain. “I’m sorry, Mom. I know this is hard to hear.”

Eric placed an arm over Claire’s shoulder, “Calm down, darling.”

“How can I be calm after all the trouble she has caused? I always suspected that she was up to no good. But this? This is evil. I can’t believe that girl is my daughter,” Claire said as she broke into a sob.

The room was filled with a tense silence, broken only by the sound of Claire’s quiet sobs. Eric, his expression one of deep sorrow, reached our and took his wife’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Claire, this isn’t your fault. You did everything you could as a mother. You’ve been there for Evelyn, and that’s what matters.

Evelyn, Sighting back her own tears, nodded in agreement. “Dad’s right, Mom. You’ve always been good to me, and I don’t want you to blame yourself for what Sandra has become.”

Claire shook her head, her eyes glistening with tears. “But I should have seen it, Evelyn. I should have known.”

“No.” Eric interjected, his voice firm “You’re not a magician or a fortune teller. You couldn’t have known. You can’t hold yourself responsible for Sandra’s choices. You’ve been a wonderful mother, and you’ve done your best. That’s all any of us can do.”

Evelyn leaned forward, her voice softer now as she tried to reassure Claire. “Dad is right. None of this is your fault, so stop blaming yourself. The only reason I’m telling you this is because now is because I’ve made up my mind- I’m not going to let her get away with this anymore. I’m done ignoring what she’s done to me. I won’t consider her my sister any longer. I’m going to fight her, fire for fire,” Evelyn said firmly.

Eric nodded, his face set with determination. “We’ll do whatever it takes to support you, Evelyn. For all the pain Sandra has caused, you have our full backing”

Claire, still struggling to process everything, finally nodded in agreement. “Yes, Evelyn. We’ll support you. You’re not alone in this.”

“Thanks. I’m going to return to the family company. But I need your help. I don’t want Sandra to know anything abour what I’ve told you. Im going to come over and ask you to forgive me and give me a job–in front of her. She can’t suspect anything.” Evelyn said, and her parents nodded.

“We’ll keep this between us.” Eric assured her. Despite the reassurance, the weight of his earlier mistakes still bore down on him, filling him with

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With the thitficult conversation behind them, Evelyn stood up, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. “Thank you. Now, I’m going to heat up dinner. We all need to eat.”

Claire pickly rose to her feet, her maternal instincts kicking in. “I’ll help you, dear

12:02 PM d

As they moved toward the kitchen, Erie remained seated, his gaze shifting to Derek. The silence between them was heavy with unspoken words until Eric finally broke it. “Derek. I owe you an apology. I was rude earlier and didn’t give you or my daughter the benefit of the doubt. I’m sorry. And thank you for standing by Evelyn and for being there for her when I wasn’t.”

Derek met Eric’s gaze, his expression sincere. “All is forgiven. All that matters to me is that everything has been resolved. All I want is for Evelyn to be happy,” he said, and Eric smiled, pleased with his response.

“When did you find out about all this? When did she tell you?” Eric asked, and Derek sighed.

“Yesterday. She told me about Michael and Sandra yesterday. I also found out about Samantha yesterday. With your permission, I’d like to marry her once this is all over.” Derek said, and Eric smiled.

“If she is willing, you have my support. As you can see, Evelyn makes her own decisions,” he said, and Derek chuckled. This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“Yes, she does. You should know that I plan to move Evelyn and Samantha away from here to somewhere more secure. I don’t trust Michael and Sandra, not after everything I’ve learned”

Eric considered Derek’s words carefully, the concern for his daughter evident in his eyes. “You’re right. It’s a good idea. We should do whatever it takes to keep them safe.”

In the kitchen. Claire watched Evelyn as she heated the food, her heart heavy with the knowledge of how much her stepdaughter had endured in silence. Without warning, she moved closer and enveloped Evelyn in a tight embrace. “Thank you, Evelyn, for finally opening up to us. I’m so sorry for everything. I understand now, and I wish I had sooner.”

Evelyn leaned into Claire’s embrace, feeling the warmth and sincerity in her stepmother’s touch. “Thank you, Mom. I was worried… that you might

take Sandra’s side

Claire pulled back slightly, her hands resting on Evelyn’s shoulders. “Evelyn, you’re as much my daughter as Sandra is. I could never choose one over the other, especially not when it comes to something like this. You’re my daughter, and I’ll always stand by you.”

Tears welled up in Evelyn’s eyes once more, but this time, they were tears of relief. “I’m so glad to hear that. I’ve been carrying this for so long, and it’s such a relief to share it with you finally.”

Claire smiled, though it was tinged with sadness. “You don’t have to carry it alone anymore. We’re here for you.” She glanced toward the doorway, where Samantha’s quiet voice could be heard. “I should go check on my granddaughter.”

As Claire left the kitchen, Evelyn stood alone for a moment; the weight of her secrets finally lifted. She took a deep breath, feeling a sense of peace settle over her. For the first time in a long while, she didn’t feel like she was hiding anymore.